


Emma meets Greg

by Enid_Black



Series: Nature and Nurture AU [1]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Lestrade is a bit disbelieving too!, M/M, Mycroft is a dad, Past hurt, Present Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-18
Updated: 2014-11-18
Packaged: 2018-02-26 04:18:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2637806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enid_Black/pseuds/Enid_Black
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mycroft has to tell a private event about his past to Gregory and Greg gets to meet said private event</p>
            </blockquote>





	Emma meets Greg

**Author's Note:**

  * For [earlgreytea68](https://archiveofourown.org/users/earlgreytea68/gifts).
  * Translation into Italiano available: [Emma incontra Greg](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2657573) by [Enid_Black](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enid_Black/pseuds/Enid_Black)
  * Inspired by [Nature and Nurture](https://archiveofourown.org/works/729134) by [earlgreytea68](https://archiveofourown.org/users/earlgreytea68/pseuds/earlgreytea68). 



> Ok, it's all my sister's and some friends' fault! They hooked me with the BJD world (Ball Jointed Dolls) and now not only I have two, and two more that I want to buy, but they chose the world their characters belong to and made me WRITE about them. 
> 
> So many thanks to Earlgreytea68 who let me play with her wonderful world of Nature and Nurture. Thank you so much!
> 
> This will be the first of a series of one shots.
> 
> No, nothing is abandoned, not even A Study in Moustache, I'm just horribly slow, that's why I shouldn't really post WIPs!
> 
> Thanks again to NepturnalHarianne, my faithful Beta (and enabler for this 'verse...)

Gregory Lestrade and Mycroft Holmes had just left the restaurant where they had spent the evening dining and chatting. They had been dating for some months now and things were definitely looking serious (how could it be otherwise, with two men like them?). Instead of taking the unmistakable black car, Lestrade proposed to walk a bit and they found themselves in Southbank, strolling on the Millennium Bridge like two tourists. 

“Gregory, I feel that I need to tell you something . You’ve been very upfront about your ex and your daughters and I really think that I should be too.” Mycroft started, stopping in the middle of the bridge and looking towards the London Bridge. Lestrade leant on the handrail, facing Mycroft, giving his back to the Thames. He kept silent, giving Mycroft the space to talk, he knew that he didn’t appreciate when someone poked him for information. “There’s no easy way to say it. I’m a widower and I have a three year-old daughter.” Greg’s eyebrows furrowed for a second. But he sensed that Mycroft wasn’t done.

“Emma is the delight of my life, but her mother had complications while giving birth and she didn’t make it. Elizabeth and I had been married for fifteen years, and she was Sherlock’s age. We didn’t try to have children, but it happened. She was so happy, so ecstatic.” Mycroft smiled sadly and Greg put his hand on the one of the other man. “Then, she didn’t feel well and we went to the hospital. She was at the 37th week of pregnancy. Her condition worsened there, she looked at me worried, telling me to “take care of Emma”.” Mycroft took a very controlled breath, like he was trying to regain control. “They rushed her in the operating theatre, made a C section to get Emma out but… she had an aneurism and it had broken and they tried, they tried but the blood was too much…” Mycroft trailed off, his gaze fixed on nothing in front of him. The pause went on for few seconds, and Greg started to think that he might have to say something, but Mycroft anticipated him, “Believe me, Gregory, when I say that I’ve never loved someone like I loved her and that I’m not entering in this relationship lightly. That’s why I needed to tell you.” He ended, keeping his eyes still on the river.  
Gregory’s hand tightened on Mycroft’s one and he cleared his throat, asking,

“And where is Emma?”.

Mycroft smiled and finally, finally, looked at him.

“I was too distraught to take care of her personally but I couldn’t part from her. My mother and my father, and also Elizabeth’s parents, helped us. She spends most time with them, the more so because I couldn’t take time off to care for her. I always make sure to spend with her as much time as I can, she is three now, and she’s asking about me more and more. I’m re-thinking that decision, I have to be sincere.” Greg forced a smile.

“I was very busy when Margaret was born and it got even worse when I had Kathrine. Their mother looked after them. But, my best memories are from when I started spending more time with them myself, even if sometimes it meant not having time for me. So, just know that I’m amenable to sacrifice dinners in restaurants for dinners at home. I’m actually kind of curious to meet Emma, really, when you think you’re ready.”

Mycroft smiled and started walking towards St Paul’s Cathedral, holding Greg’s hand.

“Thank you Gregory. Thank you.” He said. Greg just squeezed his hand and walked beside him.

“You know that you’re always welcome, Myc.”

 

So, it was just few days after that pivotal date that Gregory found himself in a black car heading to Mycroft’s house, nervous as hell because he was going to meet a three years old. The car slowed down in front of the now familiar gate, and then passed the threshold, stopping before the front door. Mycroft was waiting for him at the front door. Greg got out of the car and went towards him, stopping just shy of hugging him. Mycroft didn’t feel deterred, though, and gave him a peck on the lips.

“Don’t be nervous. She’s quite a shy girl, but you’ll get along swimmingly, you’ll see.” He tried to reassure his lover. Gregory laughed nervously.

“She’s important, Mycroft, I just don’t want to mess up.”

“You won’t.” the elder Holmes declared with finality. “Come on, she’s in the sitting room, having her snack.”

Gregory followed Mycroft inside the house and entered the by now familiar sitting room. On the carpet in front of the TV that was usually hidden behind a wooden screen, there was a tiny girl he could see from the side. She was slightly small for her age, and had long blond hair, with a gentle curve to it, that flew on her back. A small fringe covered her forehead and vivid light blue eyes followed the cartoon on the screen. The small slightly upturned nose scrunched slightly when she laughed – in that he could see the Holmes in her – and the small, petal like lips where munching happily on the small sandwich she had. Mycroft signalled him to stay where he was and went to his daughter.

“Emma, dear? We have a guest that would like to meet you.” He said. Emma looked curious at her father and then turned, realising just then that there was a person she didn’t know in the room. Her eyes got wary and the lips pressed against each other. Then she spoke:

“Who is he, daddy ?” she enunciated with almost perfect fluency. Mycroft took her in his arms and carried her towards Greg.

“Emma, this is the Detective Inspector Gregory Lestrade, but I’m sure he’ll be fine if you call him Greg.” The child extended her hand ceremoniously. 

“My name is Emma Elizabeth Holmes, nice to meet you.” She said, as it was a neat little sentence she had rehearsed. Gregory accepted the small hand and answered in kind.

“My name is Gregory Lestrade and I am happy to finally meet you, Emma. But please, like your dad said, call me Greg.” Emma nodded and turned to her father 

“Can I go and play, now?” she asked.

“Sure thing sweetie. We’ll be here anyway, if you need us.” Emma nodded and went back to her snack, dolls and colouring books. The two men sat down, talking and observing Emma playing by herself. Greg was just recounting to Mycroft the last gossip at the police station, and Mycroft was laughing freely at the shenanigans that went on in NSY, when Emma, who had been watching them more than playing for a while now, went to them with a well-read book in her hands. She tugged delicately at Lestrade’s trousers. Gregory turned to her.

“Hi Emma, do you need something?” He asked with pleasant voice. She reminded him of his youngest, Kathrine was just as delicate and shy as Emma was. Emma looked at her father, who encouraged her with a smile, and climbed on the sofa between the two men, handing a book to the D.I.

“Can you read it to me?” she asked. Gregory took the book and read the title. ‘Bimwili and the Zimwi’. The back of the book said it was an African tale.

“Sure thing, sweetheart.” He answered, opening the book and starting reading with a smile. Emma almost climbed up in his lap, wanting to watch the pictures and asking questions. She laughed when he made the voices of the characters, and called for her father so he could come see it too.

They had a nice afternoon and a pleasant dinner. Emma seemed much more relaxed after the book reading and answered Greg’s questions much more eagerly than before. After the dinner, they came back to the sitting room and Emma began yawning widely and rubbing her eyes. She climbed again on the sofa between the two men, and after a few minutes her blond head tipped on the side and she cuddled against her father, eyes almost closed.

“I should bring her to bed.” Mycroft said, caressing her head.

“Yeah, she seems done in.”. Lestrade got up and helped Mycroft gathering the child. “She’s plain adorable, Myc.”

“She resembles her mother so much.” He said, looking straight in Greg’s eyes. The D.I. pecked his lover’s lips. Mycroft looked at him, mildly surprised. 

“You’re a good father. You shouldn’t doubt your ability to look after her, you know?” said Lestrade, giving in to his fatherly urge to caress Emma’s cheek. She responded scrunching her nose and burrowing even deeper in her father’s arms. Greg smiled at her. “She’s so cute. And I have to say that the book was a bit of a surprise.”  
Mycroft smiled at that, he was much more relaxed in the privacy of his home.

“It was her mother’s favourite book, and the book that made us meet. It’s a strange story, I’ll have to tell you sometimes.” He said.

“Just, you know, don’t hurt yourself on my account Myc… if thinking of Elizabeth hurts you too much then you don’t have to.” Gregory said. Mycroft just observed him, he seemed to dispute with himself upon his next words. Words that surprised the Detective Inspector a bit due to their openness.

“It will never not hurt.” He paused, looking Gregory in his eyes, “But you are the one who makes everything hurt less, who is making me see the good again.” Lestrade smiled at him, a bit taken aback and moved, “So, yes, maybe not immediately, but I want to tell you. And I can’t have Emma growing up without knowing her mother, can I? Let me bring her to bed, and I’ll get back to you.” 

“I’ll be waiting. Goodnight Emma.” He murmured. She mumbled something in her sleep and the two men chuckled.

While Mycroft brought Emma to bed, Lestrade sat down again on the sofa, taking the African Tales book again and caressing it with renewed awe.

**Author's Note:**

> If you're not afraid of dolls - as someone is - here you'll find photos of Emma and of Margaret. For the moment they're not in their definitive outfits and wig (Maggie) and eyes (Emma), but you can see them ^^
> 
>  
> 
> [Open here to see Emma as BJD](https://www.flickr.com/photos/128198910@N02/sets/72157649349281621/)


End file.
